Candied citrus peel, whether made from lemons, oranges, limes, or grapefruit, is not only a deliciously fresh treat, but a beautiful garnish or a flavorful embellishment to batters and doughs. (Strips of fresh ginger are also excellent candied.) You can also dip it in melted, ideally tempered, semisweet chocolate, let it set, then pack it into cute boxes and give it away as gifts! It's easy to make too: simply boil the peels in sugar syrup until they are translucent. See below for ideas on how to re-use the flavored sugar syrup.
CANDY RECIPE HELP
Recipe used with the:
Meyer Lemon Gelato Pie Recipe Tutorial
INGREDIENTS
2 lemons, preferably organic
ample water
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 cups water
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Use a vegetable peeler to peel long, irregular strips from the lemons, reserving the lemons in the refrigerator for another use.
Make sure you do not get the bitter white pith from the lemon. If you do, cut it from the underside of the peels with a sharp paring knife. Do not worry if small amounts of white pith remain, as long as most of the peels are scraped clean.
2. Put the strips in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Drain the strips in a fine-mesh strainer. Return them to the saucepan, cover again with water, and repeat, bringing to a boil and straining the strips twice more, for a total of three times.
4. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and 2 cups water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
5. Dip a pastry brush in water and brush down the sides of the pot to remove the sugar crystals.
Dip the pastry brush on fresh water before you use it every time.
6. Add the zest strips, reduce the heat, and simmer, brushing the sides occasionally, until the zest is tender, translucent and candied about 20 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat and set the saucepan aside to cool to room temperature.
8. Remove the strips from the pot using tongs and place on a plate until needed in the recipe.
STORAGE
Transfer the strips to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to several weeks
